A certified kitchen designer is someone who has had extensive experience within the kitchen and bath remodeling industry.  These are people who have an active involvement with the National Kitchen and Bath Association.  The NKBA focuses on creating spaces that are comfortable and welcoming while reflecting the needs of your lifestyle and personality.  The NKBA has created guidelines and rules to better create a comfortable work space with ergonomics in mind.  They should be the basis of all kitchen and bath remodels.  A certified designer will take these guidelines into account when working on your space.  They have studied these details as well as the details of building.  Certified designers pass tests relating to guidelines, electrical, plumbing, and basic buildign requirements. 

It is very important to utilize their knowledge so you can have a well thought out kitchen or bathroom.  Ask as many questions as you can think of and speak up when you have a concern.  Your designer is there to guide you and help you make the right decisions.  Remember, in the end it is your home and you are the one paying for the remodel and you are the one living with the decisions.  A good designer is one who listens to what you want and tries to apply the guidelines to your needs. 

Overall the designer you choose should be someone you feel comfortable with and someone who has your best interest in mind.  Any remodel will take weeks from the planning stage on so you need to find a certified designer that has the best personality for you and your family.

Kitchen Remodel

When starting a remodel it can be very overwhelming.  Not only do you need to figure out the “lingo” used in the field, you have budgeting, designing, compromising with your significant other, and finding the time to fit this all into your schedule! Here are some helpful tips to getting started with a Kitchen remodel, bathroom remodel, or any basic home remodel:

1.  Start a budget, that can be an actual budget (meaning you cannot go over this), or an ideal budget (meaning this is what you would like to spend). 

2.  Figure out everything that is included in that budget, does that include appliances? fixtures? counters? cabinets?

3.  Go through magazines and brochures and rip out pictures that you like.  Yes I said rip them out!  Keep them all together, have your significant other do the same thing.  Then go back through them and find the common things in all of the pictures.  Now you have your style.

4.  Measure your space, measure the walls, the windows and the doors as well as all plumbing locations.  It doesn’t have to be pretty or to scale, it doesn’t even have to be 100% accurate!

5. Meet with a professional.  A professional CKD can take your wants and needs and based on your budget give you the best design that works for you.  Communication and a comfort with your design professional is VERY important.  You need to be able to trust them to do what is best for you and your family.